SpiceJet flight to Pune delayed 6 hours, cancelled at Delhi airport

A SpiceJet flight to Pune, SG 939, was delayed by more than six hours before being cancelled at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, stranding over 180 passengers.

The flight had a scheduled 9:15 p.m. departure on July 27, but passengers remained at the airport until nearly 3:30 a.m. as the delay dragged on.

SpiceJet said a technical issue with the aircraft was behind the delay, which ultimately resulted in the flight being cancelled.

Passengers said communication from the airline was poor in the last hours of the wait, especially between 2 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.

There were also complaints that no proper food or drink arrangements were made for those waiting through the night.

The delay led to visible frustration among passengers, resulting in a tense confrontation with SpiceJet ground staff.

Passengers have sought a DGCA probe into the incident, and SpiceJet said an additional flight was arranged for all affected travellers along with an apology for the inconvenience.

DGCA regulations require Indian carriers to provide passengers with free meals and refreshments once a delay crosses a specified threshold, along with accurate and timely updates on the flight’s status.

The regulator’s rules also require airlines to arrange free hotel accommodation and transport for passengers facing an unplanned overnight delay, rather than leaving travellers to arrange and later claim reimbursement themselves.

SpiceJet is one of India’s major low-cost carriers, operating both domestic and select international routes out of hubs including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

Passengers have increasingly taken to social media to report flight delays and cancellations, often tagging the DGCA and the civil aviation ministry directly to seek faster redressal.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is India’s busiest airport, handling a high volume of daily domestic and international departures, which can compound the impact of any single flight’s delay or cancellation.

(Image: Photo by Kprateek88, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0/2.5/2.0/1.0)